Has it ever occurred to you that the apostle Paul is several times referring to his own conversion?  True he was a great theologian, but he wasn´t more “theological” than there´s plenty of room for his personal, warm testimony.

In that sense we should be imitators of Paul.  “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ”, he says (1 Cor. 10:1).

Personally, I love good, healthy theology built on the solid, biblical ground.  But I also know that I should leave plenty of room for my personal testimony thus glorifying the sovereign grace of God.  The change that happened in Paul´s life is always described in those terms.  It happened “by the effective working of His power” (Eph. 3:7), he says.

I can hardly describe my own conversion otherwise.  It was not by my decision, my making up my mind, my deliberate choice, my intellectual powers, but solely “by the effective working of His power”.  The sovereign initiative was His and His only.  I was completely at His mercy, and when I think about it now as an old man, this is as real as ever to me as I bow in worship in solitude.

Does that brand me theologically?  I mean, does that give my theology a particular theological name?  I hope not.  His “effective working” goes far beyond all that.  But that makes your and my life “an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life”  (1 Tim. 1:16).  To unbelievers I often testify, “You, too, are completely at His mercy, and as completely helpless you must throw yourself on that mercy like the tax collector in the temple, who prayed, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” (Luke 18:13).

These were exactly the words an old man (90) applied to himself when in a luxurious party 3 days ago I suggested that we stopped our cheerful time of sociability for some minutes to listen to his testimony. (I knew him as a believer).  Oh, he had a testimony, it was not a masterpiece of oratory, nor was it a sophisticated preacher´s well prepared homily, but it was real as God´s effective working in a man´s life is real.

Social parties, family encounters, casual contacts, business relations, friendly neighborhood, birthday parties, etc. are waiting for our testimony – a testimony of God´s sovereign grace in a sinner´s life.  Or have we become too sociable to leave room for that?

Oct. 9, 2011 – jn